Printing machine



Feb. 26, 1935. E. c. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed June 6. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J I I 1 l I I I I l ll Feb.i 26, 1935. E. c. HARTLEY 1,992,613

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1930 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1% V E mmya eizwen i51 Patented Feb. 26, 1935 PATENT OFFICE] PRINTING MACHINE Emmett C. Hartley, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original application June 6, 1930, Serial No.

459,599. Divided and this application December 28, 1931, Serial No. 583,534

17 Claims.

This is a division of my application, Serial No. 459,599, filed June 6, 1930.

This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to inking devices adapted for cooperation with a printing. couple for printing forms on bills, statements, and the like.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with printing machines adapted for printing utility bills, insurance notices and the like and machines of this kind are disclosed in the application of which this application is a division and in my co-pending application, Serial No. 404,123, filed November 1, 1929, and in the application of Curtis George Kranz, Serial No. 404,092, filed November 1, ,1929. In the type of machlne with whichmy invention is adapted to be used, a web is withdrawn from a roll and passed under a diabolo and then-directed to a printing couple wherein impressions are made at spaced intervals on the web. The printed web is passed through feeding rollers and to a severing device, wherein it is slit transversely into sheets, intermediate the impressions made there on by the printing couple, and these severed sheets are then passed through a printing machine wherein addresses or the like are printed at spaced intervals thereon and subsequently the sheets are passed to another printing couple wherein impressions are made on the sheets on the face thereof opposite that receiving impressions in the first printing couple and on the same side of the sheet as that on which the addresses were printed.

In machines wherein additional impressions are made after an'impression has'been made by a printing couple, as inmachines of the type above described, it is advantageous to apply to the printing form of the printing couple only enough ink to make a clean clear-cut impres- 40 sion and one of the objects of my invention is to supply to the printing form of a printing couple only enough ink to make a clean clear-cut impression so that the ink will dry quickly whereby smutting of the ink during subsequent operations on the sheet will, be avoided.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a novel ink supply device embodying an ink fountain which may be removed to facilitate cleaning thereof; wherein the portion of the fountain roller in contact with the ink in the ink fountain is maintained substantially constant so that a uniform quantity of ink is picked up by the fountain roller in operation thereof; wherein excess ink is scraped from the fountain roll-V er by a novel device so adjustable that a thin.

trat ed a selected embodiment of my invention and 10 therein Fig. 1 is a top plan view; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig, 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the adjustable mounting for the ink apply- 15 ing rollers; and I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the mounting of the ink fountain and the rollers of my inking device and the printing couple with which they are associated.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings a web W is with drawn from a roll (not shown) and is passed about a guide roller 5, between the form roller 6 and impression roller 7 of the printing couple, 25 over a ledge 8, under a looper roller 9 and between a pair of vertically aligned feed rollers 10 to a severing mechanism 11 wherein-sheets S are severed from the web and are deposited on feed tapes T to be carried into a printing machine. 30 The construction and operation of the looper roller 9, feed rollers 10, and severing device 11 are described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 459,599, filed June 6, 1930, of which this application is a division, and while I have shown '35 the web as being directed to such devices it is to be understood that the invention is adaptable for use with other devices and while I have shown and will describe a particular form of printing couple it is to be remembered that the 40 invention may be used with a printing couple of any approved construction without departing from the purview of the invention.

The form roller 6 of the printing couple has a portion of the periphery thereof undercut and on the remaining .portion of the periphery an electroplate E is secured in an approved manner. A portion of the periphery of the impression roller '7 is also undercut and an impression blanket B is directed over the remaining portion thereof, the usual make-ready being arranged below the blanket, and the particular form of impression roller and blanket illustrated is described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 583,535, filed December 28, 1931; The impression it roller '7 is mounted on a shaft 12 and-fast on this shaft is a disc 13. Cooperating with this disc is a roller 14 carried on a rocker 15 pivotally mounted at 16 on the frame 17. Suitable means are provided for rocking the rocker 15 so that the roller 14 may be moved away from the disc 13 and other means as, for example, a spring is provided to urge the roller 14 toward the disc 13 whereby the web W will be clamped between these rollers in the operation of the machine, and this arrangement facilitates feeding of the web inasmuch as the shaft 12 is constantly rotated during operation of the machine. Journaled in the frame 1'7 is a shaft 18 which may be directed to the operating. mechanisms of the printing machine to. receive movement therefrom as is described irr'the application of which this application is a division, but it is to be imderstood that movement may be imparted to the shaft 18 from any suitable source of power. The various-mechanisms of my device are operated from the shaft 18.

My improved ink supplying device inks the electroplate E. This device includes aframe 19 and two shafts 20 and 21 extend between the side members of the frame at the rear end thereof. On the rearwardmost of the shafts, that is, the shaft 21, are eccentrics 22. The troughlike ink fountain 23 has lugs 24 thereon and cooperating with these lugs are arms 25 pivotally mounted on the fountain as indicated at 26. Springs 27 urge the arms 25 toward the lugs 24 which lugs and cooperating lugs 28 on the arms embrace the shaft 20 to secure the ink fountain in position. By pivoting the arms downwardly the ink fountain may be removed for cleaning and the like. Lugs 29 unitary with the lugs 24 rest against the eccentrics 22. When these eccentrics are rotated, by turning the knob K on the shaft 21, the lugs 29 are raised or lowered in accordance with the eccentricity of the eccentrics 22 to vertically move the ink fountain 23 about the shaft 20. Handles 30 are connected to the fountain and may be manually manipulated to move the ink fountain about the shaft 20. Mounted on a shaft 31, journaled in the side members of the frame 19, is a fountain roller 32 which extends into the ink fountain 23 and when the ink fountain is moved, as above described, it moves relative to this roller. Thus, as the ink supply diminishes in the fountain, said fountain may be moved toward the roller 32 and, in this manner, substantially a uniform portion of the roller is maintained in contact with the ink in the fountain. At the rear of the machine is an upstanding bracket 33 and a plate 34.is fastened thereto by screws. A blade is secured between this plate and bracket. against the periphery of the roller 32 and has scraping engagement therewith as the roller is rotated in. a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. Extended horizontally through the plate 34 are a plurality of thumb screws 36 and the inner ends thereof engage the blade 35 adjacent the edge thereof in contact with the roller 32. As best illustrated in Fig. 1, a multi-' plicity of screws 36 is provided and these screws regulate the engagement of. the blade with the periphery of the roller and nice adjustment. of this blade is best attained by providing a multiplicity of screws. The ink is picked up from the fountain 23 by the roller 32 and is carried thereby toward the blade 35 which scrapes excess ink from theroller so that only a thin uniform film of ink remains thereon. A shaft 37 is journaled The blade 35 bears' in the side members of the frame 19 and has arms 38 thereon. These arms support a shaft 39 on which the ductor roller 40 is fixed. This ductor roller moves between the fountain roller 32 and the oscillating vibrator roller 41. A shaft 5 42 is rotatably and slidably journaled in the side members of the frame 19 and the vibrator roller 41 is mounted thereon. Bearing structures, such as 43, are mounted in bushing 44 in the side members of the frame 19. members 43 are lugs 45 and on the side members of the frame are lugs 46 in which screws 47 are mounted, the screws 47 hearing against the lugs 45. A shaft 48 is journaled in the bearings 43 and extends across the machine. this shaft is the form roller 49. The form roller 49 engages the vibrator roller and the face of the electroplate E and transfers ink from the vibrator roller (that receives ink from the ductor roller, which, in turn, picks up ink from the foun- 20 tain roller) to the electroplate. A frame 50 includes bearing portions, such as 51, at opposite ends thereof and these'bearing'portions are pivotally mounted on the side members of the frame 19. This frame 50 is pivotally mounted 'on the 25 frame 19 and may be pivoted from the position shown to afford access to the electroplate E. Lugs, such as 52, depend from the frame 50 and a shaft 53 is journaled therein. On the shaft 53 is a form roller 54 which also bears against 30 the electroplate E and the vibrator roller41. In order to adjust the form roller 54 relative to-the electroplate I provide adjusting screws 55 which extend through the frame 50 into engagement with shoulders 56 on the bearing members 43. 35 Pivot bolts 57 are mounted on the side'members of the frame 19 and fit into bifurcations in the frame 50 so that when the nuts 58 thereon en gage the frame 50 it will be held against movement. Adjustment of the bearing members 43 40 meshes with a spur gear 60 on the shaft 61. A 50 spur gear 62 on the shaft 61 and joined to gear 60 meshes with a spur gear 63 on the shaft 64 on which the form roller 6 is fast. At the opposite end of the shaft 64 is a spur gear 65 which meshes with a spur gear 66 fixed on the shaft 12, these 55 gears having a one to one ratio. A stud shaft 67 is fixed on the outer face of the adjacent side member of the frame -19 and a pinion 68-is mounted thereon. This pinion meshes with the spur gear 65. The pinion 68 has a relatively 60 wide face for the purpose set forth hereinafter.

On the shaft 42 is a spur gear 69 meshing with the pinion 68. On the shaft 64 outwardly of the spur gear 63 is a member providing a cam groove 70. On a boss 71, carried by the frame 19, is a. 65

lever 72 having a roller 73 at one end thereof which travelsin the cam groove 70. On the end of shaft 42, opposite the gear 69, are two spaced discs '74 and 75 between which a roller 76 on the lever 72 is disposed. On the shaft 64, outwardly of the member providing cam groove 70, is a peripheral cam 77. A bell crank '78 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 37 and at the end of 'one arm thereof is a roller 79 which is forced into engagement with the peripheral cam 77 by the On these bearing 10 Mounted on 15 is actuated by the cam 77, the arms 38 will be rocked. An arm 81 is pivotally and eccentrically connected to the face of the peripheral cam77, as indicated at 82, and the opposite end thereof is pivotally'connected, as indicated at 83, to the arm 84 depending from the shaft 31. A collar 85 is fixed to the shaft 31 and has a plurality of notches 86 in the periphery thereof. A pawl 87 is mounted on the arm 84 and engages the notches 86. Pivotally mounted on one of the side members of the frame 19 is a rocker 88. A link 89 is pivotally connected at 90 to the rocker 88 and is also pivotally connected to the adjustable crank 91 operable from the disc 92 mounted on the shaft 18 outwardly of the spur gear 59. On the free end of the rocker 88 is a gear segment 93 that meshes with a pinion 94 rotatably mounted on a reduced bearing portion of the shaft 95 which carries the uppermost of the feed rollers 10. Fixed to the shaft is the housing 96 of a double roller clutch and the pinion 94 is connected to the inner member of one of the clutches. This double clutch provides a ratchet which functions so that the shaft 95 will be rotated when the rocker 88 is moved in one direction, but will not be rotated when the rocker moves in the other direction. By adjusting the adjustable crank 91 the amount of movement imparted to the rocker vmanner set forth. The ink andbyturningtheknobKa V ment is imparted to the shaft 88 may be regulated and therefore the amount of movement imparted to the shaft 95 may be regulated. The feed rollers are connected for simultaneous rotation and thus when the shaft 95 is rotated as described, a fe ding movement is imparted to the web.

The operation of the device is as follows: A web W is directed through the machine in the fountain is filled definite portion of the fountain roller 32 is immersedin the ink in the fountain. When the machine is set in operation the shaft 18 is rotated and the spur gear 59 rotates. Thus, the spur gears 60 and 62 rotate which causes rotation ofthe spur gear 63 and therefore the shaft 64. Rotation of shaft 64 causes rotation of the spur gear 65 and therefore rotation of spur gear 66 which meshes therewith.

66 have a one to one ing edge of the electroplate and the leading edge of the blanket engage the web extending therebetween' simultaneo and these members roll together whereby an impression is made on the web, ink having previo beenapplied on the electroplate E in the following manner. spur gear 65 rotates, the pinion 68 and the gear 69 likewise rotate and in this manner a rotary movement is imparted to the-vibrator roller 41. The member providing the cam groove 70 rotates with the spur gear 63 and by reason of the configuration of the .cam groove and the engagement of the roller 73 therein a rocking movement is imparted to the rocker 72. The roller 76 on the rocker 72 is disposed between the discs 74 and 75 and as the rocker 72 is rocked an axial move- 42 and thus the vibrator roller .41 not only rotates but likewise reciprocates axially and during this axial movement the gear 69 remains in engagement with the pinion 68 by reason of the provision of elongated Asthe.

teeth on said pinion 68. The ductor roller clampingly engages the vibrator roller during a portion of the rotation of said vibrator roller and ink picked up by the ductor roller from the fountain roller is transferred to the vibrator roller and as this roller rotates and reciprocates it uniformly J distributes ink on the form rollers 49 and 54 which,

in turn, uniformly. pread the ink over the electroplate E as it moves past these form rollers, the electroplate engaging the form rollers immediately after it disengages the web. The ductor roller is reciprocated between the vibrator roller 41 and the fountain roller 42 by the cam 77 which rocks the bell crank 78. As the cam 77 rotates, a rectilinear movement is imparted to the arm 81 and the pawl 87 carried thereby engages the notches 86 and rotates the fountain roller as the arm 81 moves in one direction but as the arm moves in the other direction the pawl merely clicks over the notches andno movement is imparted to the fountain roller and it is manifest that this arrangementwill impart a step-bystep movement to said fountain roller. Excess ink picked up by the fountain roller is scraped therefrom by the blade 35 and consequently there is but a thin uniform film on the periphery there-v of when it is engaged by the ductor roller and it is during the time that the ductor roller'is engaging the fountain roller that rotary movement is imparted to said fountain roller. From the foregoing description it is apparent that but a limited amount of ink is applied to the various rollers of my inking device and thus limited amount of ink is uniformly distributed over the rollers and the arrangement so acts that only the proper amount of ink is applied-to the electroplate and hence a non-smutting impression is made by said electroplate.

In the foregoing description I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention but it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims:

I claim: 1

1. An ink supply device for a printing couple and including a pivotally mounted ink fountain, V

a fountain roller, means for adjusting the fountain relative to the roller whereby a substantially constant portion of said roller may be' maintained in contact with the ink in said fountain, and means for maintaining said fountain in engagement with the adjusting means.

- 2. An ink supply device for a printing couple and including an inkfountain, a fountain roller, means pivotally securing said ink fountain to a support, adjusting means, and means urging a. portion of the connecting means for said ink fountain into engagement with said adjusting means whereby when said adjusting means is moved the position of said ink fountain relative to said fountain roller will be, varied.

3. An ink'supply device for a printing couple and including a fountain roller, an ink fountain, lugs on said ink fountain, arms pivotally connected to said ink fountain, a support, yieldable means acting on said arms whereby said support may be clamped between the lugs on said ink fountain and said arms to pivotally support said ink fountain in position, and adjustable means for determining the position of said ink fountain relative to said fountain roller.

- 4. An ink supply device for a printing couple and including a fountain roller, an ink'fountain,

lugs on said ink fountain, arms pivotally connected to said ink fountain, a support yieldable means acting on said arms whereby said support may be clamped between the lugs on said ink fountain and said arms to pivotally support said ink fountain in position, and meansincluding eccentrics engageable with extensions on said lugs for adjustably positioning said ink fountain relative to said fountain roller,

5. An ink supply device for a printing couple and including a fountain roller, an-ink fountain, lugs on said ink fountain, arms pivotally connected to said ink fountain, a support, a shaft, yieldable means acting on said arms to clamp said arms and said lugs in embracing relation about said shaft to pivotally and removably support said ink fountain, another shaft, eccentrics on said shaft, extensions on said lugs engage-.

able with said eccentrics, and means for rotating said shaft to vary the position of said eccentrics to thereby vary the position of said extensions to thus adjust said ink fountain relative to said fountain roller whereby a uniform portion of said fountain roller will be maintained in contact with the ink in said fountain as the quantity of ink therein varies.

6. An ink supply device for a printing couple and including a frame, an ink fountain pivotally mounted on the frame, a fountain roller rotatably mounted in the frame, means mounted on the frame for adjusting the fountain relative to the roller whereby a substantially constant portion of said roller may be maintained in contact with the ink in said fountain, means mounted on the frame for removing excess ink from said roller, means for rotating said roller, and means urging said fountain toward said adjusting means. s

'7. An ink supply device for a printing couple and including a frame, an ink fountain mounted in the frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame, means for rotating said fountain roller, a bracket carried by the frame, a plate, a scraping blade mounted between said bracket and plate, means securing the plate to the bracket to fasten said blade in position in engagement with said fountain roller, a nd means carried by said plate and engageable with said blade to force the same into engagement .with sa d fountain roller to, remove excess ink therefrom whereby a thin uniform film of ink remains on said roller after movement thereof past said scraping blade.

,8.-An ink supply device for a printing couple and including a frame, an ink fountain mounted in the frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame, .a bracket carried by the frame, a plate, a blade mounted between said bracket and plate and having a scraping edge, a plurality of adjusting screws carried by the plate and engaged with the blade to force the scraping edge thereof into engagement with the fountain roller and to adjust the engagement of said scraping edge of the blade with the fountain roller, and means for rotating said fountain roller toward the scraping edge of the blade whereby excess ink is scraped from the roller and -a thin uniform-film of ink remains on the roller after movement thereof past thescraping blade.

9. In a printing couple, 'a rotating-printing form, spaced form rollers engaging said form for supplying ink thereto, a vibrator roller for supplying ink to said form rollers, an ink fountain, a fountain roller for picking up inkfrom.

said fountain, a ductor roller for transferring ink from said fountain roller to said vibrator roller, means for rotating said printing couple.

and including a rotatable shaft, and said rotat able shaft having means thereon for rotating said vibrator roller, for moving said vibrator roller axially, for rotating said fountain roller in a step-by-step manner, and for moving said ductor roller between said fountain roller and vibrator roller.

10. In a printing couple, a pair of aligned shafts, a printing form roller on one shaft and an impression roller on the other shaft, gears interconnecting said shafts for simultaneous rotation, a form roller engageable with the periphery of said printing form roller, a shaft carrying a vibrator roller engaged with said form roller, an elongated gear meshing with one of the gears of said printing couple, a gear on theshaft carrying said vibrator roller, a gear for driving the rollers of said printing couple, a transmission gear meshed with the gear driving said printing couple, and means associated with said transmission gear for imparting axial movement to the shaft carrying said vibrator roller.

11. In a printing couple, a pair of aligned shafts, a printing form roller on one shaft and an impression roller on the other shaft, gears interconnecting said shafts for simultaneous rotation, a form roller engageable with'the periphery of said printing form roller, ashaft carry ing a vibrator roller engaged with said form roller, an elongated gear meshing with one of the gears of said printing couple, a gear on the shaft carrying said vibrator roller, a 'gear for driving the rollers of said printing couple, a transmission gear meshed with the gear, driving said printing couple, means associated with said transmission gear for imparting axial movement to the shaft carrying said vibrator roller, a fountain roller, a ductor roller, and means associated with said transmission gear for moving said ductor roller between said fountain roller and said vibrator roller.

12. In a printing couple, a pair of aligned shafts, a printing form roller on one shaft and' an impression roller on the other shaft, gears interconnecting said shafts for simultaneous rotation, a form roller engageable with the periphery of said printing form roller, a shaft carrying a vibrator rollerengaged withpsaid form roller, an elongated gear meshing with one of the gears of said printing couple, a gear on the shaft carrying said vibrator roller, a gear for driving therollers of said printing couple, a transmission gear meshed with the gear driving said printing couple, means associated with'said transmission gear for imparting axial movement to the-shaft carrying said vibrator roller, a fountain roller, a ductor roller, means associated with said transmission gearfor moving said ductor roller between said fountain roller and said vibrator roller, and means associated withfsaid transmission gear for rotating said fountain roller in a step-by-step manner.

13. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing couple 'journaled in said frame and including a printing roller having a printing form thereon, form rollers, means for adjustably supporting said form rollers for engagement with said form, common means for adjusting the form-rollers relative to the printing form, means for adjusting one of the'forxn rollers independently of .the other, a vibrator roller slidably and rotatably journaled in said frame, an ink fountain on said roller, means on said frame for supporting said ductor roller, and means on said shaft for moving said ductor roller from said fountain roller to said vibrator roller whereby ink picked up from said fountain by said fountain roller is transferred to said vibrator roller to supply ink to said form rollers for distribution on said form.

14. In a printing machine, printing means embodying a constantly rotating 'form for making impressions on a web, means for supplying ink to said form and including a form roller, supporting means for said form roller, another form rollerjuxtaposed to said first form roller, supporting means for said second form roller and resting against the supporting means for the first form roller, means for adjusting the position of the supporting means for the first form roller to 'adjust' said form rollers relative to thereby adjust the positions of both form rollers relative to said form, and means for adjusting the supporting meansfor the second form roller-independently of the adjustment of the supporting means for the first form roller.

15. Ina printing machine including a printing couple embodying a printing roller having. a printing form thereon, a form roller adapted to engage the printing roller below the horizontal diametrical plane thereof, another form roller adapted to engage the printing roller above the horizontal diametrical plane thereof, means pivotally supporting the second form roller ,for movement toward and away from the printing roller, bearings at opposite ends of the first form roller, adjustable means on the pivotal supporting means and engaging said bearings whereby the second form roller may 'be' adjusted relativeto the printing roller, adjustable means connected to said bearings and adapted to be used to the printing roller, and means for supplying ink-to said form rollers to be transferred onto said printing form.

-16. In a printing machine-a frame, a printing couple journaled in the frame andincluding a printing roller having -a printing form thereon, a form roller engaging said printing roller, a vibrator roller mounted in the frame, an ink fountain in said frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame, said printing roller including 'a rotatable shaft, a gear on one end of said shaft, an elongated pinion meshed with said gear and rotatably mounted on said frame, a gear connected to one end of said vibrator roller and meshed with said elongated pinion, a pair of spaced discs mounted at ,the other end of said vibrator roller, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and having a roller thereon disposed between said discs, cam means on the end of the shaft of the printing roller opposite that having the gear thereon, another roller on. said lever engageable withsaid cam means, and means on the shaft of the printing couple for rotating said fountainroller whereby'ink picked'up by said fountain roller from said fountain is transferred to said vibrator roller, "when said cam means moves said vibrator roller into engagement with said fountain roller, said cam means also moving said vibrator roller into engagement with the form roller whereby ink transferred to the-vibrator roller from the fountain roller is picked up by the form roller to be transferred ing form on the printing roller. 1 17. In a printing machine, a printing couple including a printing roller having a printing form thereon, means for supplying ink to said printing form and including a pair of form rollers adapted to cooperate with said form, supporting means for one of said form rollers, supporting means for the other of said form rollers and mounted to permit said other of said form rollers to be swung from cooperation with said printing form to thereby afford access to said printing form, the supporting means for said other of said form rollers cooperating with the supporting means. for said one of said form rollers, means for simultaneously adjusting said form rollers relative to said printing form, and means for adjusting said other of said form'rollers independently of the simultaneous adjustment.

to the print- 

